Use of Force
248 Articles

Just the Docs: Departments of Defense, Transportation, and Homeland Security Announce Southern Border Drone Ban
Press Release: Department of War, DOT, DHS bar unauthorized drones at southern border; Hegseth vows to shoot down cartel drones.

Fueling Russia’s War: The Russian Diesel Deal and International Law
By lifting export restrictions on Russian diesel, the United States arguably bears responsibility for aiding and assisting Russia's unlawful use of force against Ukraine.

Timeline of Boat Strikes and Related Actions
A timeline that chronicles major events in the Trump administration’s campaign of lethal strikes against suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

The War on Terror: A Quarter Century of Unheeded Warnings
The global war on terror demands reflection and reckoning for the damage it caused to human rights and the international legal order.

A Quarter Century After 9/11: Lessons Learned and Lost
A former member of the George W. Bush administration’s National Security Council reflects on what the United States got right and wrong in its response to the 9/11 attacks.

Collection: U.S. Lethal Strikes on Suspected Drug Traffickers, Operation Southern Spear, Operation Absolute Resolve
Collection of expert analysis on the legality of the U.S. strike on Venezuelan vessels in the Caribbean, the consequences of the strike, and related issues.

Strategic Attack on Iran: Airpower’s Promises, Limits, and Lessons
Operation Epic Fury demonstrates that airpower is both essential and insufficient. A review of what the campaign reveals about airpower's promises, limits and lessons in Iran.

Collection: Iran, Israel and the United States at War (2025-2026 Operations)
Experts analyze the US-Israel Iran military conflicts - covering nuclear diplomacy; strategic, security, and regional implications; and domestic and international law.

When Civilian Infrastructure Becomes a Lawful Target
Civilian infrastructure is not targetable merely because it is economically significant or politically useful to strike, but only when it offers a definite military advantage.

Clausewitz on Operation Epic Fury
Applying Clausewitz’s principles to Operation Epic Fury reveals the war’s strategic design–architecture linking military action to political purpose–was deficient from…

A Path For Middle Powers and a Rules-Based International Order: A Functional Perspective
German scholars argue that from a realpolitik perspective, commitment to international law is essential for States whose power is limited.

Key Questions on U.S. Killing Tren de Aragua Leader Inside Venezuela
Does the killing of Tren de Aragua's leader by the U.S. military in Venezuela constitute murder? An extrajudicial killing? What was its purported legal basis?